Jessica Johnson Sweeps the Leaderboard with Champion, Reserve, and Additional Top Placings in Open Hunter Classic

By Sarah Welk Baynum

Jessica Johnson had a full schedule in the Open Hunter Classic at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, piloting several talented horses throughout the class.

Not only did she capture the championship title despite the highly competitive field, but she also claimed the reserve championship—along with fourth and sixth place finishes. In the Open Hunter Classic, riders complete two rounds, with judges scoring each individually. The combined total from both rounds determines the final placings.

“I actually ended up tying with myself in the first round,” Johnson said. “I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to ride four really nice horses.”

Johnson’s championship ride was aboard One Al Of An Amen, owned by K Michaelis & S Smith, a horse she describes as talented but a little unpredictable in the show ring.

“Every day with him is a little different—you never quite know what you’re going to get,” Johnson said. “He’s the kind where you’re either the winner or the loser that day. Today, however, he came to play. He was fantastic, and I couldn’t have asked him to be any better.”

Johnson said she also appreciated the challenge of the course, designed by David Warner. “It was fun—definitely challenging, but in a good way,” she explained. “It made everyone really ride and kept the horses paying attention. The bending lines and turns helped them jump better because they had to stay focused, but there were also moments where you could let them relax and really think about getting the best jump.”

Her favorite part of the round came the moment she entered the ring. “When I cantered in, I felt him take a deep breath, and I knew it was going to be a good trip,” she added. “When he goes in tense, I can feel it right away, and I know it might not be our best day. Today, we went in and felt him be like, okay, let’s do this.”

Jessica’s reserve champion mount, DGS Vintage, owned by Stella Dorsey, made an impressive return to the show pen after several years away from competition—having previously stood at stud.

“He’s now a gelding, and the Dorsey family recently purchased him,” Jessica said. “We decided to bring him back out of retirement and start showing him again, which has been really exciting. When he got gelded, everything that could go wrong did, so he’s only been back jumping for about two weeks before Congress. This year, he’s only shown twice, so for him to come out and perform like that was really special.”

Jessica said DGS Vintage’s personality and love of the show ring made the comeback even more rewarding. “He’s always been so versatile and gives you everything he has when he tries,” Jessica explained. “He hadn’t shown in three or four years, but he didn’t miss a beat. He truly loves being at a horse show—that’s his happy place—and that’s why we decided to geld him and bring him back. He’s just so happy to be doing it again.”

The Open Hunter Classic at the Congress holds a special place for Jessica, who has long been a strong supporter of the class and often enters multiple horses each year. She said the class stands out from traditional hunter over fences competition because of its distinctive format and creative course design.

“I love this class because it’s so different,” Jessica said. “It’s a two-round format, and the courses challenge both horse and rider in ways that make the horses jump even better. It’s not just the same straight lines we see every day—it lets us show that these horses can do more, and they really seem to enjoy it. Especially the older horses—it keeps them sharp and interested instead of bored doing the same thing they typically do.”

Jessica added that the atmosphere and the level of audience support make the class even more rewarding. “It’s such a fun class for the crowd, too,” she explained. “People love watching and cheering for their favorites as scores come in during both rounds. You can go from the winner to the loser in a heartbeat—and I know that firsthand. It’s probably one of my favorite classes to ride because of its uniqueness. I’m so grateful to Rick and Lori for sponsoring it and to everyone who helps keep it going—it’s an awesome class.”

 

Open Hunter Classic

Champion: One Al Of An Amen with Jessica Johnson for K Michaelis & S Smith-$3250.21

Reserve: DGS Vintage with Jessica Johnson for Stella Dorsey-$2500.16

Bronze: Only Time Will Tail with Robert Stucky for Kimber Mitchell-$1875.12

Fourth: DGS Legacy with Jessica Johnson for Robin DeGraff-$1250.08

Fifth: Strutin To The Blues with Chuck Briggs for Rodger Call-$1000.06

Sixth: Kiss Me Next with Jessica Johnson for Lindsey Johnson-$750.05

Seventh: Hesa Frequent Flyer with Tyler Haney for Kate Upton-$625.04

Eighth: Allocate In Green with Ryan Painter for Darcy Stricker-$500.03